The Buffalo Bills must add offensive tackles to their roster this off-season. This statement shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, but what may come as a surprise is why it's worth mentioning at this stage in the game. On Friday is his weekly Q&A with fans, Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com offers this opinion on one of Buffalo's offensive linemen:
"I think in the end Wang will be best suited to play guard. That’s just my opinion."
If that is in fact how the Bills see Ed Wang, they have a serious problem. With Demetrius Bell at left tackle, the Bills may be starting Erik Pears on the right side with guard/tackle jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none players like Wang, Mansfield Wrotto, and Cordaro Howard as the reserves.
If there are only two true tackles on the roster, the Bills are in serious need of bodies. That's without mentioning what you think of Bell and Pears' talent levels. They simply need bodies they can play at tackle.
Wang was selected in the fifth round last year to mold into a capable offensive tackle, but after injuries stunted his initial development, he began working at four of the five OL positions, further hampering his growth at tackle. The Bills' coaching staff played Wang in one game, all at guard, when injuries severely depleted the unit.
"Right now guard is a deep position. They worked him at both guard and tackle last year and I anticipate that will continue," said Brown about Wang. "I don’t see him getting on the field as a starter [at tackle] in 2011 however."
Andy Levitre, Eric Wood, Kraig Urbik, Geoff Hangartner and Chad Rinehart are all certain to be ahead of Wang on the depth chart to start on the interior and be the primary back-up. Wang may have a long road just to make the roster in 2011.